How Structure Is Helping NYC-Based Actress Dara Orland Through Quarantine

Ever since COVID-19 wreaked havoc on New York City, many performers made the conscious decision to flee and spend time with family.

So I caught up with fellow performer, Dara Orland, on how she’s staying safe in New Jersey, how she’s coping by setting a schedule for herself, and her honest concerns about the theatre industry moving forward.

Read our conversation below.

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Dara Orland

Where are you currently spending your time in quarantine?

I am in New Jersey at my fiancé’s brother’s house.

How has the pandemic changed your way of life? How are you coping?

It has flipped my life upside down! I went from the NYC hustle of auditioning, working, taking classes, working, auditioning, and more auditioning—to quarantine. I cannot work remotely because, like many actors, my job in the service industry doesn’t exist right now. I am coping by sticking to a loose schedule that I’ve built for myself. I wake up around 8:30/9, workout, go for walks, work on a puzzle, journal, and sprinkle in whichever free Instagram live class most interests me that day. It’s really helped me to maintain some sort of structure during this time!

Did you lose any contracted performance work due to the pandemic?

Yes and no. My summer gig was postponed to the fall, and I feel very lucky for that. I know so many people who’s shows were outright cancelled. While I am bummed that it won’t happen this summer, I have something really exciting to look forward to in the fall.

Do you still have any other sources of income that are helping sustain you through this crisis?

I do not. I am the Office Manager for a bar in NYC that is currently shut down.

Have you had to file for unemployment? Have you had any success?

Yes. Luckily, I had filed earlier in the year between gigs, so my process was painless.

If you're a member of Actors’ Equity: do you think the union is doing enough to serve and protect its members given the circumstances? If not, what would you like to see happen?

I do. They’ve already shown that they are committed to doing the best they can for us. They’ve pushed the spring dues due date back three months, and while to some that might not be enough, I can understand that they also need this money to keep taking care of us. I would love to see more guidance on financial relief programs offered to us, but other than that, I am content.

What are your biggest concerns with the theatre industry moving forward?

My biggest concerns actually look to next audition season. With so many theatres canceling their current seasons and moving them to the 2021 slots, I would imagine (and have heard from my friends cast in those shows) that they are also taking the casts from this year and using them for the next. So, there will be far less opportunities in 2021 because the shows are previously cast. In an already saturated market, this isn’t the best news. I don’t mean to sound like a Debbie downer, but it’s also important for me to realize this and take the actions necessary so that I am the most prepared for next season. 

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Dara Orland is a New York-based singer, dancer, actor, and choreographer. She was most recently seen on the First National Tour of Cruel Intentions: The Musical as Mrs. Bunny Caldwell. Other regional credits include Legally Blonde (Serena), Beauty and the Beast (Babette), Sister Act (Tina), Seussical (Mayzie le Bird), Heathers: The Musical (Ensemble U/S Ms. Fleming). Her choreography has been seen Regionally, Off-Broadway, and Internationally at the National Theatre of Abu Dhabi. She earned her BFA from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.